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Canadian and World Studies

Canadian and World Studies

The Canadian and World Studies Department at St. Peter Catholic Secondary School offers a wide range of courses at the locally developed, workplace, open, academic, applied, college and university level. We offer courses in geography, history, civics, law, politics and the social sciences. The teachers involved in the department have become experts in the field and offer our students are rich and rewarding learning experience. We focus on the inquiry process where there is a partnership between the teacher, student, parents and our community partners. As stated in the Ministry curriculum documents , one of our goals is to help ours students “… to be critically literate in order to synthesize information, make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and thrive in an ever-changing global community.”

We work with a variety community partners in order to enrich our learning opportunities for our students. At St. Peter’s, our classroom is just not limited by the school. Our partners include the Toronto Zoo and the School of Education and Professional Learning at Trent University. Our community partners also come into our school as part of our Speakers Forum which examines a variety of themes which link back to the local, provincial, national and global community.

Our students go on fieldtrips which bring life to what they learn in our classroom. Our law students participate in simulated court experiences and trips to law courts in Peterborough and Toronto. The history students have been able to experience our course through the trip to Ottawa where they visit the War Museum, the Supreme Court, the War Memorial and Parliament. Students enrolled in the Civics course have a variety of speakers and local experiences that bring out the meaning of citizenship. In our grade nine geography program we try to allow for our students to experience the outdoors and new cultural experiences.

Our grade 9-10 students compete in the annual Canadian Geographic competition.

Last year, Jake Douglas (2nd from the right) placed 2nd in the National Competition in Ottawa.

We have our regular trip to the St. Lawrence Market and Ripley’s Aquarium which we link to what is studied in our class. While at the same time trips in our local community including Jackson’s Park.

Department members also take St. Peter’s students on international trips to Italy, Greece and Vimy Ridge.

The anthropology, sociology and psychology courses offered in the department allow for a different experience for our students. Students enrolled in those courses are challenged by the curriculum which is linked with a variety of guest speakers.

Grade 9 Geography students at Ripley’s Aquarium

What we do in our department reflects back onto the Catholic Graduate Expectations. We feel at St. Peter’s that our students will become a self-di

rected, responsible, lifelong learners who work collaboratively with others while at the same time being a discerning believer in our Catholic faith community.

As a member of the various subject associations, we want our students to be able to